Preventing pressure ulcers

Welcome to Homerton's Pressure Ulcer advice and information page. We service patients across the City and Hackney area. Pressure Ulcers are a significant health risk but are also easily avoidable. This page contains advice and information to help prevent you or someone you care for developing a pressure ulcer.

Pressure Ulcer Facts & Figures:

700,000 people are affected by pressure ulcers each year.

80-95% of pressure ulcers are thought to be avoidable with the right prevention strategies (See link to SSKIN, right)

The consequences of pressure ulcers are severe and can result in death.

Treating pressure ulcers costs the NHS up to £2640 million a year – the single most costly wound for the health service!!

What to look out for

If you catch a pressure ulcer early you can prevent it worsening by relieving the pressure from that area, for example, repositioning in bed or standing if able.

Without intervention, a small area of redness which doesn’t go white with pressure applied (blanching - as seen above) can quickly develop in to a more serious problem. Pressure ulcers can change from a small area of redness to an open wound in a matter of hours without intervention.
If you are concerned about pressure ulcer risk or think you or someone you care for may be developing a pressure ulcer:

immediately remove pressure from the affected area (change position).

contact your GP for an urgent appointment.

or speak to another health or social care professional if you are seeing one that day.